MORE AIR + LESS EXHAUST BACKPRESSURE = MORE POWER WITH LESS HEAT!

   With all of the performance products currently available and still arriving on the market, why the need for another aftermarket piece for the 7.3L Powerstroke?

   Here’s why the GDS Ball Buster turbo and Hi-Flow power outlet are the missing pieces to the7.3L Powerstroke performance puzzle. As we all know, there is no shortage of tuners, chips, exhaust systems, intake systems, ect. for these engines. What we haven’t had, is a turbocharger that truly makes sense. Let’s look briefly at what the major problems are with the turbo on the 7.3L, and then we will look at how to solve them.

1. The first problem encountered is the surge problem on the stock turbo. The stock turbo surges very easily which is a drivability problem at best and a turbo life reducer or breaker at worst. This surge problem also is quite common on the ball bearing turbo.
2. The second problem is that the stock turbo is far too restrictive on the exhaust to run with fuel system upgrades. The stock turbine housing and turbine wheel head size are too small to flow well. In fact this problem is so bad that at 17psi of intake boost, the exhaust backpressure will be over 35psi! This is why the difference in a pre-turbo pyro reading and a post-turbo pyro reading can vary by over 600 degrees! Many fuel system upgrades will easily take exhaust temperatures to over 1700 degrees pre turbo, making the truck un-drivable for pulling grades when loaded.
3. The third problem is the weakness of the turbine wheel in both the stock and ball bearing upgrade turbos. The ¼” turbine wheel quill and small frame size limit these turbos to very mild upgrade applications.
4. The fourth problem is the limited compressor capacity of the stock turbo. This comes from both a small compressor wheel and compressor inlet size.
5. The fifth problem is the stock wastegate actuator. This is set to open far too soon (5psi), and the weak spring makes it useless on upgrade applications.

     We could go on with more of the turbos problems, but this list has covered the major weak points. Perhaps the most unique weakness is that there is such a lack of true upgrades for the Powerstroke turbo when compared to other applications. This void in aftermarket turbo availability and turbo upgrade parts stems mainly from the uniqueness of the O.E. turbo. The 7.3L Powerstroke turbo is unique in its mounting and in the fact that it is a reverse rotation turbo. This means that for the most part any upgrade components need to be cast from scratch to fit the current mounting and turbo, or a series of parts to completely change the turbo and mounting to a standard rotation turbo must be applied to the engine. The first option would limit you to a limited strength partially stock turbo unless you replaced the entire turbo with a stronger unit. Although a “bolt on” replacement turbo is available, it still utilizes a ¼” turbine wheel quill which limits the turbo in strength. This turbo also does not offer enough exhaust flow to accommodate those looking for safe egt’s when running big injectors. It also offers no option to upgrade the stock e.b.p. valve assembly, which further limits exhaust flow.

   Let’s take a look at the other turbo upgrade option, changing the turbo and all its mounting parts to something larger and more capable. This option may work for a few people but there are definitely some drawbacks. First, you are locked into a specific vendor for all future turbos and or mounting parts (a problem that can be a bit annoying when you’re on the road looking for replacement parts). Second, you are limited to the performance of that particular turbo. This is a problem if that turbo disappoints you in its spool up, strength and performance.

   What the 7.3L motor needs is a turbocharger that will let you run more fuel without running dangerously hot egt’s. A turbo that will bolt on without any modifications so that you can keep all the upgrades you have currently invested in. This turbo would need to flow enough on both the intake and the exhaust to make it worth upgrading. It would need to be stronger than any currently available upgrade turbos, without being so big that you can’t get it to respond in day to day driving. This turbo would also need to be a good value for the money and let you take your engine up to the next level of performance, a level that has pretty much been unattainable up to this point.

   Now let’s take a look at the newly available GDS BALL BUSTER turbo, a completely new turbo built from scratch in the U.S. just to fill the void in Powerstroke upgrades. The GDS Ball Buster will flow more exhaust and lower egt’s more than any currently available “bolt-on” turbo, and will respond better and out perform any currently available “will fit” mixture of parts and turbo. It is also the strongest turbo currently available for the 7.3L Powerstroke. The GDS Ball Buster is a bolt-on turbo that will finally allow the Powerstroke to breathe, and instead of the turbo being the choke point in the system, this turbo will have you looking at all new ways to upgrade your motor to take advantage of the Ball Busters full strength and performance potential. Below is a brief outline of the turbos major upgraded features;